Last week we finished question one and listened to the Old Testament
scripture readings that involve both Abraham and Sarah.
Returning to question one, one thing we didn’t do was apply
her characteristics to us: Impatient, temperamental,
conniving, pouty, erratic, naggy, beautiful, unreasonable, great faith,
hospitable, having a hope that never dies.
Did she truly have all these characteristics? We looked at the word-
naggy. Did she nag or are those our
words? Looking at the positives and negatives what do we glean?
She was barren and she had a hope and a promise, but it
also caused her grief. Some of our
strengths can be our greatest weaknesses. Like her we can use our strengths in
ways to get our own ways which leads us into sin. We too have a
fight within our members, saved but full of flesh. Our characteristics depending on how we use
them could bless or be sin. Nagging could
be used positively as exhorting or in the negative. She was probably a very strong woman, and
possibly a little spoiled in nature. Sarah was a total woman, full of emotion
and illogic at times, searching for the correct answers. She was preeminent in her relationship with
her husband, but she did not have a direct voice from God. So, in the process
of waiting, wanting to accomplish God’s will, she stepped out and sinned in
giving Hagar to her husband. It probably
seemed right at the time, but the result brought heartache and trouble to the
nations throughout history. She acted in
desperation and turned to the ways of the world.
Sin is any personal lack of conformity to the moral
character of God or the law of God.
Question #2.
She moved with her
husband and began their journey through a land that God led them through. What
was her response to leaving Haran for this “unknown land of promise”? They went
forth and didn’t look back, Hebrews 11:15. She left with family and servants, but it
involves leaving what is known to move to the unknown, not knowing what was
ahead. Whether there would be danger or hardships they went.
We too, when called by God have to leave friends and family,
following God in the direction he wants us to go. We have to surrender our children into God’s
hands. We want to have control of
things, but it is God who must reign and to whom we have to let have control .
Romans 1:20 – none of us are in a vacuum, we are all without
excuse.
Question #3-
From the time she was 65 until death she lived a nomadic
life. What made it bearable?
Tents, servants, family, her husband and her dedication to
him, her faith in God’s calling and leading.
McArthur suggested that Bethel was their anchor of their
faith. Both had the need to return to it
to refresh their faith.
God’s timing and plans are way different than what we think
they should be. We need to learn how to give over our worries and concerns and
efforts to fix things, to God. God is soverign.
No comments:
Post a Comment